EXECUTIVE MEETING.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 97, 12 September 1918, Page 1

EXECUTIVE MEETING.

Of the Thames Valley SubProvincial Union. There were present at Thursday's meeting Messrs F. C. Hansen, president (Waitoa), W. H. Allen (Patetere), W. McLachlan (Morrinsville), A. W. Roe (Mamaku), Y. Dunlop (Komate North), A. K. Alexander (Hikutaia), H. S. Wright (Netherton), J. Whitehouse (Matatoki), E. C. Old I (Brookfield), J. Scott (Ngarua), F. C. Barnett (Putaruru), G. Stewart (Elstow). WELCOME. Prior to the business commencing, the chairman welcomed Messrs Roe, representative of Mamaku, and Dunlop from Hikutaia. A YET. Mr Old said he was absent from the last meeting, and wished to compliment Mr Rushton on bringing forward the subject of a vet, who was badly required in the district. He regretted that the motion had not been carried. The organiser: It is impossible to get one. That was the reason the proposal was not carried. ORGANISER’S REPORT. In the course of his report the organiser referred to the visits to branches during the month. “ It is an exceeding difficult task to arouse the unthinking and lethargic farmer to a sense of the dangerous (to the producer) trend of the commercial conditions of the world. It is astonishing how unthinking so many of our farmer friends are “ outside the actual production of his produce.” He will not wake up to the fact that the cohesion in the commercial world is all against the interest of the producer and apparently will not wake up until he is bitten.” In the land department a number of properties had been collected, and the first sale was made last month. The vendor being a union member secured a rebate of £35. He hoped to be able to fix up a plan of co-oper-ation with the Waikato sub-pro-vincial executive. A new branch had been formed at Tokorua and Paeroa, and the Omahine branch had decided to join the sub-provincial district. Officers had been appointed at Mamaku. GRADING CREAM. The Franklin Sub-provincial district wrote suggesting, “ that with a view to improving the quality of N.Z. butter, the suppliers recommend to the dairy companies that a greater difference should be made in the price paid out for first and second grade cream.” Mr Whitehouse considered the letter should be referred to the respective dairy companies. The chairman said it was his opinion that unless they got Government control and inspection they could not get the proper difference between the first and second grade. Mr Old: There is too little Government control in the Waikato. Mr Alexander said the competition between the companies was too keen to permit of thorough control. Mr Allen thought amalgamation of the dairy companies would solve the problem. It was decided to forward the letter to the dairy companies. TRADING COY. SHAREHOLDERS. A lengthy letter was received explaining the position of shareholders in the Trading company, stating that the control would be held by farmers, and that the shares could only be held by people who were entitled to become members of the union. HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER. The organiser reported on the recent conference at Auckland on this subject. There could be no two opinions, he said, among the farmers of the necessity of pushing any proposals to develop a scheme for supplying electric power throughout the province. He explained the two schemes: Firstly Taupo as a central scheme for the North Island, secondly a smaller proposal in taking over

Horahora. He suggested keeping an open mind in the matter until they had the fullest information before them. The chairman said one reason he did not like the big scheme was the time it would take to develop it. They did not want to wait 10 or 15 years. Mr Whitehouse pointed out that the Horahora scheme could be utilised at once. Mr Barnett aske 1 if the Arapuni falls were not to be taken ? The organiser said he understood these were to be utilised to supplement the Horahora power. A resolution was passed approving of the organiser’s action in attending the meeting, and that he be allowed a free hand on the executive of the association.

A BIG QUESTION. The Ngongotaha branch submitted the following remit: “ The Farmers’ union views with apprehension the factthat non-essential industries such as sawmilling for instance —the prices of whose products are not fixed by statute, can by raising their selling prices, pay such wages as to give them the pick of the labor market to the detriment of farming and other essential industries whose prices are regulated.” “ There’s a lot of truth in that,” said the chairman. Mr Whitehouse: There’s a lot of material wanted from sawmills all the same. The best way to get over the difficulty is to have the prices regulated for nonessential as well as essential industries. Mr Allen thought sawmilling was an essential industry. Farmers must have timber, and he did not consider the remit in its present form in the farmers’, inr, terests. . ” Mr Barnett agreed with Mr Allen’s views. At this stage the discussion was deferred until the next meeting when the Ngongotaha delegate would be present. THE GOOD ROADS CAMPAIGN. Mr M. li. Wynyard, president of the Good Roads association, advised he would address meetings at Morrinsville on September 16th, and Te Aroha on September 17th. He hoped to visit Paeroa later. SEED GROWING AT PUTARURU. The provincial secretary, replying to the board's remit, said the Provincial executive was not prepared to make any recommendation to the Land Purchase Board for a small soldier settlement for seed-growing in the Putaruru district. THE PRICE OF CEMENT. The increase in the price of cement, according to a letter from the provincial secretary, was caused by the amalgamation of the companies. Enquiries were being made by the executive as to whether the increase was warranted. If there was not sufficient justification the matter would be taken up with the Board of Trade. MOTOR TAXATION. The Motumaoho branch forwarded the following remit: — That in view of the necessity of some scheme being devised to make our main roads carry present and future traffic, this branch recommends that a tax of so much per cent, be put on the value of all motor vehicle tires, such tax to be collected at the port of entry, and the revenue thus obtained be used for making and maintaining our main roads. “ There will be a lot of discussion over that in some places,” remarked the chairman. Mr. Whitehouse considered there should be some tax on motor traffic. The farmers were paying rates for the roads, and other people, who paid nothing, were wearing them out. The chairman : The motor cars do a lot of damage to the roads. The organiser: The roads do a lot of damage to the cars. Mr. Alexander: That is my opinion. The chairman did not think any motorcar owner would object to paying atax if he got better roads. Mr. Alexander said there would have to be different men then to look after the roads. He was opposing the motion because he did

not think it the best way of solving the problem. The farmer who had a car was paying a double tax. Mr. McLachlan proposed, and Mr. Whitehouse seconded that the remit be sent to the provincial executive and branches. The motion was carried by 6 votes to 3. THE VIRTUE OF PERSISTENCE. The Minister for Railways, replying to the various letters from the Executive, said instructions had been given for the desired telephone connection to be installed at Waitoa. The Minister concluded by stating that the Department had been forced to adopt the practice of insisting on settlers guaranteeing the cost of subscription. Further telephone connections at tablet stations will be contingent on adherence to these conditions. SHUNTING TRUCKS. In reference to the complaint cf the executive of the difficulty experienced by settlers in moving loaded trucks, the organiser said the district railway manager had asked him for a list of stations off the level. Matatoki, Wa.ihQiA.aiul Wharepoa wore cited ffiy members as instances. Mr Alexander: The trucking - v yards at Paeroa require shifting PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION. The subject of parliamentary representation was further discussed, when a lengthy letter was read from Mr E. C. Banks giving particulars of his experience in public life, and stating if chosen he would be a candidate for parliamentary honors for the Rotorua electorate. Mr Barnett moved that Mr Banks be written to asking him to give his views on political matters. Mr Alexander seconded the motion. Mr McLachlan said the Morrinsville branch had discussed the subject of parliamentary representation and had expressed an opinion contrary to the union selecting any candidate. He believed in keeping the selection of candidates as open as possible and spoke strongly against Farmers’ union running their own candidates. His opinion was it . would be detrimental to the interests of the Farmers’ Union to take any steps towards selecting a candidate. The chairman did not think Mr McLachlan’s strictures applied to the motion, which was only to ascertain a prospective candidate’s views. M McLachlan : But that will le i.o' selection. The chairman: Not necessarily. Messrs Alexander and Whitehouse disagreed with Mr McLachlan and thought the time hod come for the Farmers’ Union to have its own candidates. Mr McLachlan thought candidates were very foolish to put their views in writing before any meeting; they might want to change them. Mr Alexander: It is the privilege of any man to change his views. Mr McLachlan: He may find it difficult when his views are in writing. The motion was carried. FIRE INSURANCE. The subject of a mutual fire insurance association came before the meeting. The organiser explained at length the preliminary steps to be taken for the establishment of an association and read correspondence from the Taranaki Farmers Mutual Fire association. He advocated joining in with the Taranaki association and not establishing a separate asssociation, and contended it would provide cheaper insurance premiums. Mr Dunlop moved and Mr Whitehouse seconded that the information supplied be sent out to the branches and the question be dealt with at the next meeting. It was decided to apply to the Taranaki association as to accident insurance rates. “THE FIGHTING FUND.” Mr Old said his branch wanted to know if the “ Fighting Fund ” was to be used to fight strikers with. The organiser said it was a bad phrase. A better word would be a Propaganda Fund. Mr Whitehouse though “ Protection Fund” was preferable. The organiser pointed out that the union was not against the workers, as was shown by the fact that at the last conference the unionists had said they would have a “round the table talk” prior to the next strike. LAND SETTLEMENT. Mr McLachlan moved: That this executive views with concern the failure of the National Government to prepare a scheme of laud s ttl-ment and urges upon the Government to at once proee ■ w in a liberal scheme of land settlement so that the whole

of the waste land will be settled at the earliest possible date after the war. Speaking to the motion Mr McLachlan said the Government might well be called the “Full Stop Government,” and criticised their apathy and indifference to the problem of land settlement. He thought there was room for a now cry of “People for the Land” instead of “ Land for the People." Mr Dunlop seconded the motion which was carried. Mr Barnett commented on the action of the Government in assisting returned soldiers. He mentioned a case in his district where the board had declined to purchase a section for a soldier and gave no reason. He did not think the Government was acting up to its advertised policy. Mr Alexander thought all were agreed that the Government wanted shaking up. Mr Barnett moved that the Minister for Lands and the member for t'h e Waikato be written to asking why no reason was given when the Land Purchase board declined to buy land for a returned soldier, and mentioning a particular case at Putflimru,-——- ~ T l ' mulion was carried.